Iran's enemies 'planned civil war'

Iran's supreme leader has said that enemies of his country had plans to bring about a civil war in the Islamic republic in the aftermath of last June's disputed presidential elections.

In a message to mark the Nowruz new year festival on Sunday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed the US and Israel for violent protests that followed the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iran has seen a series of bloody clashes since the poll as opposition supporters have taken to the streets after two defeated candidates claimed Ahmadinejad's camp had carried out massive fraud to secure victory.

Dozens of people were killed and hundreds of others arrested as police and pro-government militia cracked down on the protests and their supporters.

"The enemies wanted to divide the people and to create a civil war, but the nation was alert," Khamenei said.

"If they were able to do it, the US and Zionist regime would have sent troops to Tehran's streets, but they knew it would hurt them. Thus they spread propaganda and supported the rioters."

Tehran has repeatedly blamed the US and its allies for fomenting the post-election unrest.

'Unclean hand'

Ahmadinejad, in his own address marking Nowruz, vowed to defend Iran from foreign threats.

"Any unclean hand from any corner of the world that comes out from any sleeve and tries to harm the dear [Iranian] nation will be cut off with prudence, swiftness and steadfastness," he said.

The president also said that his government will continue to pursue a leadership role on the world stage.

Khamenei and Ahmadinejad's messages came after Barack Obama, the US president, addressed the Iranian people in a video broadcast on the internet.

In his message, the US president renewed his administration's offer of dialogue and criticized Tehran's leaders for "turning their backs" on previous overtures.

He also promised more educational and cultural exchanges, as well as support in ensuring that Iranians were able to get uncensored access to the internet.

Opposition protesters have used social media to organize their protesters and spread news and footage from demonstrations to the wider world.

Nowruz, a 12-day holiday, celebrates the arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year on the Persian calendar.

Source: Al-Jazeera.
Link: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/03/2010321144114106942.html.